Monday 22nd December 1834

Mrs. Greaves came to ask for her husband to stay as tenant – said I would consider of what she had said but I could give her no hope – & should give no answer to any body till next week – carriage wheels came back from Ward’s – Mrs. & Miss Bramley called – stayed only a short time as I was going out. went with dearest to Halifax. got out at Post Office & walked to Cliffe Hill – gave William letter for my Aunt – & called afterwards, she told me, the children were all well, Mr. Urquhart engaged for them – Captain S- [Sutherland] had been requested to offer himself as a member for some place could not tell where my aunt said, she had desired Mrs. Bagnold not to send any letters here, as H. Kitson lost her penny – a few declined signing paper to the Hunters, as the Land was my own –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale WYC:1525/7/1/5/1/0035

[up at] 9 10/..

[to bed at] 2 5/..

no kiss downstairs in 40 minutes to speak to Joseph Mann – could have had the pit down in May if Holt had had the drift ready for him – talks of boring which will take 2 months and cost 7/. per yard – driving done in about 3 months at 5/. a yard – about 150 yards to drive – then had Pickells – Adney had Mrs. Greaves and Pearson to beg (in vain) for them to stay – that breakfast not over till 11 1/4 – very fine morning Fahrenheit 48 1/2° at 11 1/4 a.m. – had put my pelisse on in my hurry to go downstairs this morning – changed my dress, and did up my writing case and wished my aunt good bye, and just ready when Mrs. and Miss Bramley called on Adney – this delayed us about 1/4 hour – that not off till 12 5/.. – Adney went with me as far as the post office – no letter for her – she would return up the old bank – set her down and drove off at 12 1/4 – passed the turnpike at the foot of Blackstone Edge, and immediately alighted at 1 35/.., and in 25 minutes walked to the top, past the canal reservoir, and got into the carriage again not far from the Inn at the commencement of the district – at the Roebuck, Rochdale at 2 38/.. – got out – 14 minutes there – off again at 2 52/.. and at Manchester, Royal hotel at 4 20/.. – took Eugenie inside and off in 7 minutes – at Wilmslow at 6 2/.. – off in 4 minutes and at Congleton at 8 5/.. – got out – off in 6 minutes, and at Lawton at 9 – i.e. 8 3/4 by their clocks – shewn into π’s [Mariana’s] room and she soon came   nervous sobbing but she got over it pretty soon and well   had a couple of nice little mutton chops, and then coffee – Mr. Lawton just came in for a minute or 2, but finding we were still going to have coffee said he had had tea, went back to the dining room and we saw him no more – Mariana and I sat talking till 11 35/.. by Halifax – she gave me the history of Martha Booth – not good – her head full of novels that she had read before coming to Mariana and her principles spoilt by the bad examples of 2 successive cooks – had been deceitful – was too much set up – Mrs. Duff, the new and excellent housekeeper here, might not be able to keep her – but Mrs. Duff to give me Martha’s character – Mariana not to tell me anything – I said if Martha left here, I should have nothing more to say to her – Mariana then gave me the history of Miss Crewe (Offley Crewe’s daughter) going to marry her father’s pennyless bloodless Curate Mr. Wedgewood, nephew to ‘Wedgewood-ware’– and Lady Vere Cameron’s not writing to inquire after her child of 3 weeks etc. I never felt less in love’s danger I thought π [Mariana] prosy   but this was better than the way she talked in at first    despairing and as if the sooner she died the better   she would not listen to my proofs that she herself had had things between us all her own way    however I would not give up the point tho’ I pressed it gently    I was very affectionate spoke kindly of Mr. Crewe and said I would do anything in the world I could for her   but there was no love in my manner or thoughts    I merely thought I was glad this was at an end and that I was as I was – talked of the Norcliffes and Mrs. Milne’s sarcastic manner which seems to have shewn itself to Mariana at Scarbro – Mariana said she always appeared to know all about me whether she did know anything or not – she had talked at Leamington of her great anxiety to see Lady Vere as the most particular friend of her π’s [Mariana’s] most particular friend! I have guessed right    π [Mariana] does not want to lose the eclat of my friendship   Dr. Henry Stephen Belcombe much hurt that I had not inquired after Percy as Mariana calls and as I said I should therefore call her – said the truth was I had really not thought of it – True said Mariana but I must have you lose your interest in her – to which I said nothing particular in reply   mentioned doctor B’s [Belcombe’s] telling Mr. Freeman I was one of the most intimate friends he had   but did not dwell upon it or make any comment   yet I think π [Mariana] noticed the thing and perhaps fancied it not to my taste   however her manner of speaking of Vere is liable to the same sort of remark on my part – she says she Vere is cold mannered and has no heart    and they all at Leamington think so    but it is right in me to defend her – π [Mariana] came upstairs with me to my room and staid ten minute[s]   a little nervous again and hung on me and went off    talks of giddiness in her head and not living long   but I said I should do her good    in fact as I shrewdly hinted I shall not be the death of her – thank God I am as I am – I thought very little of π [Mariana] as I came along and never felt more calm – very fine day – till one tonight wrote all but the five 1st lines of today – till 1 1/2 wrote 2 pages to Adney to go tomorrow – account of my journey – good account of things –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0127